Bearing-spring for motor-vehicles.



PATENTED BR. 27, 1906.

'I'. G. STEVENS. BEARING SPRING FOR MOTOR VEHIC LES.

APPLIGATIDH ULEB DEC, 17,1900A 2 SHEBS-BHEBT 1.

/l MQ my@a jhm( PATBNTED MAR. 27, 1906.

T. G. STEVENS.

BEARlNG SPRING FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLEGATIUH ILED 020.171EI04.

2 SHEETS-SHBI1T 2.

k caused by ineens of the method THOMAS (l. STEVENS, F GREENHITHE, ENGLAND.

BEARlNG-SPRING FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 27, 1906.

application filed December 1?,1QG4. Serial No. 237,306.

T0 all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS GEORGE SrsvENs, a subject of the Kin of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Tlie Terrace, Greenv hithe, Kent, Env-land, have invented certain new and useful lbmprovenients in and in Conneetion with the Bearing-Springs of Motor- Vehieles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine.

This invention for improvements in and in connection with the bearing-s )rings of motorvchicles has for its object to provide springs of great resilience capable of adjustment to suit the imposed load and which may be of connection employed to oiier when desired an approxi4 more sensitive springs to be emp mately uniform resistance to the applied force; to provide means whereby either or both of a pair of hearing-springs may be strengthened at the will of the driver, so as to resist the tendency of the vehicle to overturn under centrifugal action, as when turning corners at a high speed or to suit the surface of the road, and to provide means for causing any pair of springs to act approximately in unison, and so obviate unpleasant oscillatoryniotion of the vehicle, While erinitting lldyed than would otherwise be practicable.

In the accompanying illustrative drawings, Figure l represents a side elevation of the trailing or driving axle of a motor-vehicle with springs and spring connections eonstructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of the same, showing the ineens for controlling the various actions ci the said spring mechanism. Fig. 3 is an elevation of a pair of cross-head shafts. Fig. 4 is an elevation of an arrangement by means of which the bearing-springs on one side of a vehicle can be elongated, While those on the opposite side are shortened, while in motion by the driver.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, of the drawings, each complete bearing-spring com prises two airs of toggle-levers e, pivoted together at l; and symmetrically dis osed on either side of the vertical plane of t 1e axle c, their outer and free ends being pivoted by prins d to brackets or lugs e en the enderame barf of the vehicle and to a horizontal bar g, connected to the axle c. To the middle or connecting joint o each pair of the said toggle-links a is connected by the shackle li one end of a helical spring i, its other end being connected to a cross-head or double crank Z, mounted on a central transverse shaft p, so that when the said crosshead is rotated the springs are lengthened or shortened, thereby increasing or diminishing their resistance. It will be ein-ions that any variation of the imposed weight or the force oi impact between the Wheels and any obstacle on the road will cause the angle between the toggle-levers to diminish, and so elongate the springs i, and as the angle between the links a. decreases as the length of the spring i increases the resultant resistance at the axle may be made nearly constant. The axle is guided by suitable guide-plates or by means of guide-rods n, preferably connected to the wheel-axle c and to the sprocketwheeldriv ing shaft o, so that the distance between their centers is thereby maintained constant. The cross-heads Z are each mounted on separate shafts p Working in separate bearings, for reasons w iich will be stated farther on. In order to operate the cross-heads actuating the bearing-springs, suitable levers may be mounted on the transverse carrying-shafts, or, preferably, a Wornnpinion r, operated by a worin s on a suitable hand-spindle i, 1s loosely mounted on the carrying-shaft e and is formed with saw-teeth w on either face, ar-

ranged to engage corresponding teeth :c in coupling-plates y z, also mounted on the same carrying-shaft. One of the said plates y is formed with a sleeve 1, on which is mounted a lever 2, connected by a rod 3 to lever 4, mounted on the cross-head-earrying shaft g, and the sleeve is loosely mounted on the carv lying-shaft e, while the other coupling-plate z Vslides on the said shaft i: on the opposite side of the worm-pinion and is prevented from turning thereon by an ordinary featherlrey, square 6, as shown, Or other suitable device, a lever 7, mounted on the end of shaft e, being connected to a lever 8 on the crosshead-eariying shaft p on the op osite side of the vehicle. Rods 10 connect t e levers 2 7 with levers on erossheadcarrying shafts at the front end of the vehicle in a manner similar to that described with reference to the rear end. The shaft o and sleeve 1 work in suitable bearings 11 12, secured to the underi frame of the vehicle.

Normally the savvteeth of the cou l plates and Worin-wheel are held free o elli other, the Slidable coupling-plate z being held IBO ITO

normally in its disengaged position b v a handlever 13; but when it is desired to operate the sprin s on either side of the vehicle the worm- Whee saw-teeth are caused by a forked lever 14, operated by a foot-lever 15, to engage the corresponding teeth in the coupling- )late selected, the rotation of the worm and pinion causing the corresponding cross-head to also rotate with it and elongate the springs as desired. IVhen, however, it is desired to strengthen the springson both sides of the vehicle simultaneously, the sliding couplingplate e is caused to engage with the worm-pinlon 1' and force it into engagement with the opposite coupling-plate y, so that the worm-pinion and both coupling-plates are locked together, both cross-heads being thus caused to act together. On returning the lever 13 lo its normal )osition the levers 14 and 15 are also returned to their normal positions by the spring-bolts 1G, the spring cross-heads and levers '2 7 4 8 heilig also returned to their normal positions by the bearing-springs, as will be readily understood.

The operating mechanism as hereinbefore described is mounted on a counter-shaft and connected to the spring cross-hcad-shafts; but it will be obvious that it may with equal faeility be mounted directly on or form part with either the front or rear erosshead shafts, Suitable connections beingmade to enable the driver to mani ulate it from the car-seat.

The modiiie(iiarrangement shown in Fig. 4 is more es )ecially applicable to light vehicles in which t ie elongation of the bearing-springs can be effected more directly by means of a hand-lever. The spring cross-heads 1T 1S in each set of springs for both front and rear axles are mounted on a solid shaft 10 and in planes at right angles to eachother, as shown, so that when the cross-head on one end of the shaft lies in a horizontal plane the other` is vertical. In the drawings the various parts are shown in normal positions. Two levers 20 are mounted on or integral with the carrying-shafts 19, each being connected to abandlever 21 by rods 22, so that on moving the said lever into any position on either side of the mean or normal the springs on one side of the vehicle are lcngthened and those on the opposite side correspondingly shortened simultaneously. The axles and toggle-links are connected together onv both sides of the vehicle by rods 23, as shown. Obviously the rotation ofthe cross-head shafts may be effected by means of suitable screw, bevel, or other gearing connected to a shaft on the footboard and operated by the driver.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is`

1. In a motor-car, a spring frame interposed between the carody and axle, comprising to gle levers or links connected to the car-ame and to the axle, helical springs connected at their outer ends to the central pivots or middle joints of the toggles, and means connected with the inner ends of the s )rings to elongate the springs on either side o the vehicle separately, substantially as described.

2. In a motor-car, a spring su portingframe interposed between the carody and axle, comprising toggle levers or links conneeted to the car-frame and to the axle, helical springs connected at their outer ends to the central pivots or middle joints of the toggles, a rotatable cross-head connected to the inner ends of the springs, and means for operating said cross-head to clon rate or contract the slrings, substantially as escribed.

3. n a motorcar, a spring su portingframe interposed between the carody and axle, comprising toggle levers or links connected to the car-frame and to the axle, helical springs connected at their outer ends to the central pivots or middle joints of the toggles, a rotatable cross-head connected to the inner ends of the springs, a transverse carrying-shaft, a pinion loosely mounted on the shaft, and provided with clutch-teeth on both faces, loose sleeves having similar teeth mounted on the same shaft on either side of the pinion and connected to the bearingsprin cross-heads on opposite sides of the vehic e, an operating worin-spindle geared with said pinion, and means for engaging and disengagin the couplingsleeves an pinion, substantial y as described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS G. STEVENS.

su porting- Witnesses:

ALEEET JONES, HERBERT C. BoLwELL. 

